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Compliance · Fire and life safety

How often do fire doors need to be inspected?

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  • 9sources
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The short answer

In blocks of flats over 11 metres high, the law requires communal fire doors to be checked at least every 3 months and flat entrance doors at least every 12 months on a best endeavours basis. In other buildings there is no fixed legal interval: government guidance treats a six-monthly inspection as good practice.

The tasks

What to do, and how often

Task How often Who Basis
Check all fire doors in communal areas, including that self-closing devices work Applies to: Buildings with 2 or more homes that are above 11 metres in height Every 3 months Responsible person Law Regulation 10(6) of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 requires checks at least every 3 months. SourcesS1S3
Check flat entrance doors, including self-closing devices (best endeavours) Applies to: Buildings with 2 or more homes that are above 11 metres in height Every year Responsible person Law Regulation 10(4) of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 requires the responsible person to use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months, and to record attempts where access is refused. SourcesS2
Inspect fire doors for damage, fit in the frame and effective self-closing Applies to: Other premises, including blocks of flats of 11 metres or less Every 6 months Responsible person or competent fire door inspector Guidance Home Office guidance lists a six-monthly fire door check, and the purpose-built flats guide calls six-monthly inspection good practice. No law fixes this interval. SourcesS4S6S7
Check that fire doors on stairways close effectively on their self-closers Applies to: Small non-domestic premises Every week Responsible person or nominated staff Guidance Home Office guidance for small non-domestic premises lists this as a weekly check. SourcesS5

Where a row says who or what it applies to, the task is for that case only.

The law

Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, in force since 23 January 2023, sets the quarterly and annual checks for residential buildings with two or more homes above 11 metres. In every building covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17 requires fire doors to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair, but sets no interval.

The standard

BS 8214 gives advice on the routine inspection and maintenance of timber fire doors. It is cited by the government-hosted guide to purpose-built blocks of flats.

Records to keep

  • Fire door register listing each doorset
  • Dated records of quarterly and annual checks, including self-closer checks
  • Record of the steps taken to gain access to flats where entry was not granted
  • Defect and remedial work records

Notes

The 11 metre threshold is measured to the top storey. The quarterly and annual checks under regulation 10 are simple checks, not a full fire door survey: where damage is found, a more detailed inspection by a specialist may be needed. Flat entrance doors are in scope of the Fire Safety Order regardless of building height.

Regulation 10 also requires the responsible person to give residents information about fire doors when they move in and at least once every 12 months. That duty applies to every building with two or more homes and shared escape routes, whatever its height.

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Quick answers

Questions people ask

Fire doors (communal and flat entrance doors): which tasks are legal requirements?

2 tasks on this page rest on legislation: check all fire doors in communal areas, including that self-closing devices work (every 3 months; buildings with 2 or more homes that are above 11 metres in height); check flat entrance doors, including self-closing devices (best endeavours) (every year; buildings with 2 or more homes that are above 11 metres in height). The other 2 tasks are recommended by guidance, and are not legal requirements in themselves.

Fire doors (communal and flat entrance doors): who should carry out each task?

Responsible person: check all fire doors in communal areas, including that self-closing devices work; check flat entrance doors, including self-closing devices (best endeavours). Responsible person or competent fire door inspector: inspect fire doors for damage, fit in the frame and effective self-closing. Responsible person or nominated staff: check that fire doors on stairways close effectively on their self-closers.

Fire doors (communal and flat entrance doors): what records should you keep?

Keep these records: fire door register listing each doorset; dated records of quarterly and annual checks, including self-closer checks; record of the steps taken to gain access to flats where entry was not granted; defect and remedial work records.

Checked on

Sources

Every task and legal statement is supported by at least one source fetched over HTTPS and read on the date shown. Quotes are verbatim and 25 words or fewer. A second, independent verification pass re-fetched every source and re-read the legislation on 5 October 2026. Intervals taken from British Standards were checked against published summaries of those standards by trade bodies and government guidance, because the standards themselves are paid publications.

  1. Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors ↗

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 23 January 2023 · read on

    “must undertake checks of any fire doors in communal areas of the building at least every 3 months”

    Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

    Supports: Quarterly checks of communal fire doors in residential buildings above 11 metres

  2. Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors ↗

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 23 January 2023 · read on

    “must use best endeavours to undertake checks of fire doors at the entrances of individual domestic premises in the building at least every 12 months”

    Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

    Supports: Annual best endeavours checks of flat entrance doors above 11 metres

  3. Fact sheet: Fire doors (regulation 10) ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 24 July 2023 · read on

    “undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors”

    Fact sheet: Fire doors (regulation 10), Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Home Office summary of the duty and its start date of 23 January 2023

  4. A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “Fire doors should be checked to make sure they remain in good condition, are not damaged, and remain a good fit in their frames”

    A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Six-monthly condition check of fire doors in small non-domestic premises

  5. A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “Fire-resisting doors fitted to stairways should be checked to ensure that they close effectively”

    A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Weekly check that stairway fire doors close properly

  6. Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats ↗

    Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK) · Written 2011; GOV.UK page last updated 2 December 2024. The Home Office says it is no longer comprehensive and is being revised · read on

    “Good practice is to inspect timber fire-resisting doorsets on a six monthly basis”

    Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Six-monthly inspection as good practice in blocks of flats; cites BS 8214

  7. A guide to making your small block of flats safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “Check all fire doors, other than flat entrance doors, to ensure that they are undamaged and are effectively self-closing”

    A guide to making your small block of flats safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Six-monthly check of communal fire doors in small blocks of flats

  8. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17: Maintenance ↗

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Revised text as shown on 5 October 2026 · read on

    “are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”

    Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17: Maintenance, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

    Supports: The general legal duty to maintain fire safety measures

  9. Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors ↗

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 23 January 2023 · read on

    “to all residents of domestic premises within the building, within each period of 12 months beginning with the date these Regulations come into force”

    Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10: Fire doors, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

    Supports: Information about fire doors must be given to all residents every 12 months

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